Jinhuan Steel Structure | Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Los Angeles

On August 15, the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Los Angeles, officially opened. Jinhuan Steel Structure proudly participated in this landmark project. The opening ceremony featured an extraordinary performance by renowned singer Bruno Mars, marking the debut of what is widely regarded as the most luxurious NBA arena. After three years of construction, the arena is now the new home of the Los Angeles Clippers and will host top-tier sporting events and entertainment, including the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic basketball competitions.

At the opening ceremony, Steve Ballmer, Chairman of the Los Angeles Clippers, and James Butts, Mayor of Inglewood, jointly cut the ribbon to celebrate the arena’s inauguration.

The event featured a three-hour performance by Bruno Mars, a 15-time Grammy Award-winning artist. Lady Gaga made a surprise appearance, performing a new single with Bruno Mars. The first concert allowed the audience to experience the arena’s stunning design, luxurious facilities, and state-of-the-art audiovisual experience firsthand.

Located in Inglewood, California, the Intuit Dome covers a total area of 110,000 square meters and can accommodate 18,500 seats. The facility includes practice courts, a sports medicine clinic, team offices, retail space, and a large outdoor plaza, equipped with advanced hardware and software, making it one of the most cutting-edge and luxurious basketball arenas in the world.

High-End, Innovative Design Designed by internationally renowned architectural firm AECOM, the Intuit Dome features a semi-elliptical shape. Its most striking feature is the diamond-patterned roof, inspired by the visual of a basketball swishing through the net. This intricate diamond roof structure is entirely supported by steel.

In 2022, Jinhuan Steel Structure was selected to fabricate the roof space frame steel structure (including both primary and secondary structures) for the Intuit Dome. This represents the most complex and challenging portion of the arena’s steel structure

Project Challenges & Solutions

Challenge 1 – Complex Curved Geometry and Nodes The roof structure consists of a diamond diagonal pattern, with most nodes connecting six pipes. Due to the dome’s curved geometry, almost every pipe has a unique length and connection angle, requiring extremely precise assembly.

Challenge 2 – High Exposure Level The arena’s high-end design required exceptional aesthetic quality. According to design specifications, 15% of the roof steel structure is exposed to AESS 3 standards, and 38% to AESS 2. This demanded high-quality raw materials, superior welding techniques, and meticulous surface finishing to achieve smooth, flawless surfaces.

Challenge 3 – Welding Difficulty Some main pipes have wall thicknesses exceeding 40mm, with a maximum of 60mm, posing significant welding challenges.

Leveraging years of experience with complex international projects,Jinhuan Steel Structure applied advanced production techniques and rigorous quality control systems throughout material procurement, cutting, assembly, welding, painting, and inspection. The company ensured that all dimensional tolerances were within specification while proactively addressing new challenges with innovative solutions.

Material Procurement and Inspection As Jinhuan Steel Structure’s first AESS-exposed steel project, strict evaluation of suppliers was conducted, and selected steel pipes underwent additional machining to meet requirements. All incoming pipes and plates were rigorously inspected for roundness, wall thickness, and straightness.

Assembly and Node Fabrication Workers meticulously studied the drawings and used instruments such as levels and total stations to ensure precise positioning. Complex nodes were pre-assembled in sections to verify accuracy.

Welding A systematic welding plan was implemented, including marking welding auxiliary lines to define angles and weld types. Workers were trained to ensure traceable, high-quality welding for thick-walled pipes.

Finishing and Surface Treatment AESS components were carefully polished, sandblasted, and painted. Finished surfaces are smooth, reflective, and nearly seamless, achieving a mirror-like aesthetic.

Packaging and Transportation Components were digitally simulated for optimized packing and custom racks with protective materials were used to ensure safe transport.

Full Supervision All production stages were closely monitored by third-party supervision to ensure compliance with U.S. standards

Thanks to these methods, Jinhuan Steel Structure successfully completed all fabrication tasks. On-site installation was rapid and precise, significantly reducing time and cost while earning high praise from project partners.

The Intuit Dome now provides the Los Angeles Clippers with a dedicated home, ending their long-term sharing of the Staples Center with the Lakers. Beyond sports, this modern arena will host major basketball events, concerts, and other high-profile activities, including the 2026 NBA All-Star Game aJinhuan Steel Structure build the roof of Intuit Domend the 2028 Olympic basketball events.

Jinhuan Steel Structure build the roof of Intuit Dome

As a key contractor of the Intuit Dome, Jinhuan Steel Structure has once again demonstrated its capability to undertake world-class steel structure projects. After more than a decade of dedicated effort, Jinhuan exemplifies China’s high-end manufacturing transition to the global market. Moving forward, Jinhuan will continue to deliver top-quality projects internationally, contributing to the global influence of Chinese engineering and manufacturing.